At Liberation Square in Masaka City, a place once used to hide fighting equipment during the bush war, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni paused to remind supporters why the space exists at all. Without peace, he said, there would be no rallies, no markets, and no development to debate.
Addressing a rally alongside National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaders, Museveni rallied residents of Masaka City and the wider Greater Masaka sub-region to vote NRM candidates and embrace wealth-creation programmes. He said peace, development and economic empowerment remain the ruling party’s most enduring contributions to Uganda’s transformation.
“The first major contribution of the NRM is peace. No one has brought peace to Uganda apart from the NRM,” Museveni said. “Where we are gathered today is called Liberation Square. Everything you see happening here is possible because there is peace, and this peace exists because the NRM does not discriminate based on tribe, religion, gender or any form of sectarianism.”
Museveni traced the roots of the NRM to a student movement formed in 1965, which later evolved into a political organisation after its founders left parties they felt lacked vision. He said Uganda’s long period of stability followed years of upheaval in 1966 and 1971 and created the conditions for national recovery.
Because of that peace, Museveni said government has supported institutions such as St. Henry’s College Kitovu after issues were raised by the head teacher, Fr. Mugabo. He used the example to stress the importance of electing leaders who genuinely represent community priorities.
Peace, Museveni said, laid the foundation for development, the second pillar of the NRM agenda. He recalled that when the NRM took power in 1986, key roads such as the Katonga–Kabale route were impassable.
“We have worked on that road several times,” he said, adding that all district headquarters now have electricity, with power extended to sub-counties.
Museveni revealed that Masaka District and Masaka City now have more than 200 villages connected to piped water. He said while clean drinking water is vital, irrigation must be prioritised to raise agricultural productivity.
However, Museveni warned that Masaka could secure even more services if voters consistently elected leaders who understand how government operates.
“Some issues are national and I can follow them up myself, but many local issues require active Members of Parliament,” he said. “Unfortunately, some MPs you elected are just drawing salaries and keeping quiet.”
Turning to livelihoods, Museveni urged residents to shift focus from subsistence living to wealth creation. He reiterated the NRM message of working for both food and income through commercial farming.
“We advised people to allocate land to coffee, fruits, food crops and pasture, supported by poultry, piggery and fish farming,” he said. “Those who listened to this advice are now doing well financially.”
He disclosed that Masaka has received five million coffee seedlings and 440,000 fruit seedlings under government programmes. Museveni also announced plans to introduce special funds targeting fishermen, boda boda riders and ghetto dwellers.
“Poor people become a burden to government because they contribute little to national development,” he said. “That is why you must embrace government wealth-creation programmes. Go to your sub-counties, ask about available government projects and participate in them. Do not listen to people who discourage you.”
Museveni said job creation will be driven mainly by commercial agriculture and industrialisation, citing factories and industrial parks as key avenues for absorbing Uganda’s growing workforce.
NRM National Vice Chairperson Al Hajji Moses Kigongo thanked Masaka residents for their support and urged them to mobilise others ahead of the elections.
“I ask each of you to convince at least ten other people to come out and vote for President Museveni,” Kigongo said. He called for unity before, during and after the elections, warning against allowing politics to divide communities.
“Voting will end on January 15, but our relatives, friends and neighbours will remain with us. Let us love one another and not allow elections to divide us,” he said.
Buganda Sub-region Vice Chairperson Haruna Kasolo commended NRM leaders for mobilising residents and praised security agencies for maintaining a peaceful environment.
“People are now able to move freely, wear their party T-shirts and participate in political activities without intimidation,” Kasolo said.
Masaka City Woman MP contestant and NRM flagbearer Justine Nameere raised concerns about voter intimidation in Greater Masaka.
“We are tired of voter intimidation. Voters are being told that if they attend NRM rallies, they will be attacked in their homes,” Nameere said, calling for respect for democratic freedoms.
